Tag: Rekha Murthy

Spotify’s Sound Up Program Seeks Aspiring Podcasters To Create Shows Geared Toward Kids and Families

March 8, 2022

Since 2018, Spotify’s Sound Up program has worked with underrepresented creators to help them develop their podcasting skills and grow audiences. To date, Sound Up has launched in 12 markets—including Japan, Italy, the U.S., U.S. LatinX, India, Mexico, Australia, Sweden, the U.K., Germany, Brazil, and Argentina—and has offered participants educational resources, technical support, and opportunities to build relationships with fellow podcasters. 

Along the way, Sound Up alumni have gone on to create award-winning shows while Dope Labs, FOGO, Search Engine Sex, and You Heard Me Write have all ranked on Spotify’s podcast charts. 

For its latest iteration, Sound Up will be working with 10 up-and-coming podcasters in the U.S. who create high-quality content geared toward kids, families, and co-listening experiences. With the U.S. population growing ever more diverse, family content from underrepresented creators is needed now more than ever. Sound Up is on a mission to discover and elevate those voices.

So what can you expect from Sound Up Us: Kids & Family 2022 edition? Check out these four fast facts:  

1. Up to 10 underrepresented creators will be part of the program for five months

Those selected for the program will go through a three-phase immersive experience where they will hone their storytelling, get more experience in audio production, and workshop their ideas around creating high-quality content for families. Along the way, they’ll receive support and guidance through in-person training and virtual workshops while also having access to all of the technology and tools needed to succeed. 

2. This is the first family-focused iteration of Sound Up

After launching a sports-focused program in the U.K. earlier this year, Sound Up is now turning its attention to families. Why? Simply put, co-listening is an increasingly great way for kids and their families to spend quality time together while enjoying content that is educational and entertaining. Sound Up wants to continue to support this trend by allowing underrepresented creators with fresh perspectives to deliver more content to listeners in this space.

“We are so excited to launch our very first genre-specific programs this year. We are always adapting the program to reflect the changes in the medium and with our focus internally on Kids & Family it just made sense to expand our curriculum,” said Natalie Tulloch, Global Lead of Sound Up at Spotify.

3. Creators will work with top professionals

Sound Up’s longtime partner and collaborator Rekha Murthy, an independent podcast strategist, along with Dawn J. Fraser, a professional storyteller and communications coach, will be facilitating this program, giving participants the chance to collaborate closely with some of the best in the industry. 

“Our hope is that we will be able to bring experts from the field of childhood development in conjunction with our amazing facilitators and podcast experts into the classroom to help participants tell stories that connect with their audience,” Natalie explained.  

4. Participants will create their own pilot episodes 

In order for participants to put what they’ve learned about the art and strategy of podcast creation and development to the test, they will create their own fiction or nonfiction pilot episode that accounts for kids’ intellectual and emotional well-being, and allows families to listen together.

Sound Up is accepting applications for this program now through April 8. On March 24 at 3 p.m. EST, Dawn, along with Spotify Head of Kids Audio Content Verdell Walker, will host a Q&A session on Spotify Greenroom to answer any questions applicants may have. For more on application requirements, be sure to click here.

For more information on Sound Up, and to check out the incredible podcasts that Sound Up alumni have created so far, check out the official Sound Up website.

Get to Know the 10 Female Podcasters of Color Heading to Phase Two of Spotify’s Sound Up U.S. Program

November 20, 2020

Anyone has the ability to think of a great podcast idea—but not everyone has the means, knowledge, or connections to bring it to life. That’s where Spotify’s Sound Up podcast education program comes in: Our goal is to empower the next generation of podcasters through education, workshops, and support, as well as create a space for new voices, stories, and perspectives in podcasting. And it’s already making an impact: By the end of 2020, Sound Up will have served 160 participants in six countries. 

Back in June, we announced the addition of Brazilian and Swedish programs, in addition to offerings for the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, Australia, and Germany. We also opened up applications for the third cohort of women of color in the U.S. who want to gain the skills and connections to bring their great podcasting ideas to life.

This year, Sound Up U.S. was conducted over a four-week virtual course in which 20 outstanding participants who were selected from a competitive batch of applications learned podcast engineering skills, tips for pitching their ideas, and more. Their ideas ran the gamut from historical fiction and fantasy, to innovative music shows, motherhood, women’s sexual health, musicals, and social justice. The program was facilitated by Rekha Murthy, a podcast strategist and our long-term partner on the program; and Maria Murriel, cofounder of Pizza Shark Productions.

All 20 participants had eight weeks to deliver a trailer and podcast pitch to a panel of judges for review. Now, going into phase two, 10 participants (and their ideas) have been chosen for a one-week intensive program in 2021. However, the full class will continue to have the support of the Sound Up community for their projects going forward, as well as access to ongoing opportunities for education, classes, and networking. 

The second phase of the program will be even more focused, with more one-to-one workshop support. After the week comes to an end, each participant will have two months to complete a 20- to 30-minute pilot episode, and potentially see their idea come to life. 

Get to know the 10 participants who will be moving forward into the next phase of Sound Up U.S.

Krystal Cruz

 

“Programs like Spotify’s Sound Up are essential to making a change in terms of minority representation in media. Spotify uses their platform to hold up the creatives needing a boost and inspire them to make content unapologetically. It is no longer enough for vessels of media to only call for a change, but instead they need to actually feed the change to happen. Fueling the agents of change is exactly what Sound Up does. Programs like Sound Up make it possible to give the tools to communities to tell their stories and confidently take up space in the podcasting landscape. Opportunities like these reassure aspiring writers, producers, and hosts that they belong in any space where media is being created.”

Nicole Bassolino

 

“Technical editing skills aside, Sound Up has taught me how to refine a podcast idea. When I applied to Sound Up, my pitch was fairly general—I had a vague idea of what I wanted the show to be about, but beyond that, not much. I didn’t have a brief memorable sentence, an elevator pitch, or an image of who my listeners might be. From generating pseudo profiles of my ideal audience to thinking about content strategy and answering important questions like ‘Why this podcast? Why now? Why me?’ I’ve come out of the Sound Up program with a much stronger sense of direction and show identity.”

Shayla B. Coleman

 

“The power of community cannot be understated. Being around and interacting with others who are doing all they can to breathe life into the things they care about alongside you, and who want to see you succeed, is so uniquely energizing. Knowing you’re only a message/email/phone call/video chat away from someone who’s gone through it, going through it, rooting for you, willing to remind you you’re not crazy, is that extra hidden fuel reserve you can tap into when you’re running on E.”

Winnie Kemp

 

“Creating and writing my own fiction podcast always felt like a goal that was far out of reach because of external circumstances (job, kids, etc.) and internal blocks (lack of confidence, feeling like I did not know enough about the podcast industry). Sound Up gave me the structure, the knowledge, and the community to become a more confident creator and invest in myself. I’m 100% sure I would be sitting at home, still stuck in the idea phase, without this program.”

Caroline Selia

 

“From learning how to develop my show’s main thesis to learning the intricacies of sound design, Sound Up has taught me so much. I feel like I learned how to be an audio engineer, content creator, and podcast host in a way I didn’t even know was possible. Every workshop and session brought so much detail and insight into a process that felt so mysterious. And it felt even more meaningful to gain most of this insight from some of the most amazing women in the business. I will always thank Spotify’s Sound Up for making me a microphone snob to spot any sound inconsistency in any podcast I listen to for the rest of my life!”

Rene Rawls

 

“Programs like Spotify’s Sound Up are important because they give creative artists like myself the ‘YES . . . AND’ we need. YES . . . we hear and honor your unique voice. AND . . . we’re going to give you the resources needed to support your vision. Programs like this set artists up for success.” 

Rowena Chang

 

“I am so grateful for this program for helping me discover my voice. Although there is a lot of chatter in the world, we all still have stories worth sharing! The tools, guidance, and encouragement provided by the entire Sound Up team and program empowered me to take the mic—literally—and speak up.” 

Olayinka Sarayi

 

“I learned how to go from ideation to creation, how to structure a show, and how to really think about my audience and reaching them in a meaningful way. Beyond that, the program helped me gain confidence in myself. Sound Up taught me how to put myself out there, to take a chance on myself, and to believe in myself. I got to meet many talented women who were all there to learn and lift one another up. This program has literally been the highlight of my 2020.”

Pratima Mani

 

“I came into this knowing how to break down an idea in terms of narrative and character but now I have a much stronger sense of how to discuss content-strategy—for example, how to get not just other writers and artists, but also producers and partners, excited about an idea.”

Alexis Johnson

 

“Being chosen as a Sound Up participant was beyond my wildest dreams. For years, I have had my podcast concept on the horizon. But without direction on how to approach the beginnings of my idea or many of the resources necessary to produce the podcast, I never pushed myself to get it off the ground. Sound Up has given me the opportunity to take my passion project to a well-rounded program focused on developing industry-standard quality content that was both challenging and informative. More importantly, Sound Up brought together a group of women that will forever be connected. It brought light to us in a year of uncertainty.”

 

Check out In Those Genes, a podcast by previous Sound Up U.S. winner Dr. Janina Jeff that uses genetics to decode the lost histories and futures of African-descended Americans through the lens of Black culture.

Spotify Supports Underrepresented Podcasters With ‘Sound Up,’ Now in the US, UK and Ireland, Germany, Australia, Sweden, and Brazil

June 1, 2020

If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own podcast, this is your chance. Spotify’s Sound Up program, now in its third year, is designed to uplift and amplify the voices of aspiring podcasters from underrepresented backgrounds through education, workshops, and support. Applications for Spotify’s Sound Up 2020 program are now available in the US, with applications for other countries rolling out soon.

Through the workshop, participants will learn the ins and outs of developing and producing their very own podcasts. We’ve seen a huge interest in the program, with 20,000+ applications submitted over the past three years. Ultimately, 60 people have completed the program throughout the UK, Australia, the US, and Germany. Ten of those graduates have since launched their own shows, and three now have Spotify Original podcasts on the platform. To celebrate our graduates’ success, we’ve put several of their podcasts all in one place.

This year’s program, however, will look a little different. Due to the challenges of gathering during this unprecedented time, Sound Up will be divided into two phases. First up is a virtual four-week course that will take place later this year. To ensure everyone has equal access to technology, we’ll be providing computers, WiFi access, and podcast recording equipment to participants. Then, those who demonstrate a particular knack for podcasting will be invited to a future in-person training where they will further develop their ideas.

But that’s not the only new thing in store. Sound Up is also making its grand debut in two countries—Brazil and Sweden—in an effort to bring Sound Up to even more individuals. In Sweden, the program is aimed at women and non-binary people who may experience racism because of their skin color, culture, language, religion, or ethnicity. Applications in Brazil, will be open to young people of color from the Periferias, or outskirts of big cities.

Twenty applicants from each participating country will be chosen to take part in the four-week online program. During that time, they’ll start their podcasting journeys, honing their skills in  storytelling, designing a podcast, editing audio, and learning the business of the medium. At the very end, participants will leave with the tools they need to create a trailer for their show.

This year’s U.S. session will be facilitated by longtime collaborator and Sound Up veteran, Rekha Murthy. She will be joined by co-facilitator Maria Murriel of the production house Pizza Shark.

Thinking about applying but don’t have podcasting experience? Not to worry. To be a part of the program, you don’t need any prior podcasting experience, just something unique to say and a desire to use podcasts to say it. (Plus, you must be a resident of the country where you’re applying and self-identify as a member of the community being served in that country.)

U.S. residents can now apply for this year’s Sound Up here. Those in Sweden, Germany, and Brazil can apply later this month, and applications for the U.K. and Ireland will be available in August. The program will be offered to women and non-binary people of color in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, and Sweden; young people of color from the Periferias in Brazil; and members of the LGBQTI community in Germany. We can’t wait to hear what these new podcasters have to share.

Applications are now available for residents in the US . Interested applicants in other countries should stay tuned for more updates.